Volume One: The Crimson Bride 001 - Imprisoned Below

  The heavy iron gate creaked as it was slowly pushed to one side, and three people walked in. The leader, with a large belly and round waist, wore a black satin robe, and the precious belt around his waist could hardly hold back his bulging stomach, which shook with every step. His round face had a pair of eyes that seemed to be squeezed into slits, scanning the figure huddled in the corner of the dungeon. With a hint of mockery, he raised an eyebrow: "Is the Left Prime Minister still doing well?"

  In a corner, a person leaned slantingly, head lowered, disheveled hair covering face, as if oblivious.

  The fatty snorted, disapproving of the other's silence, and raised his tone slightly: "My master is magnanimous. If three days isn't enough for Minister Zuo to figure it out, then he can keep thinking. When he finally figures it out, I'll escort you out again!" With that, he turned to leave.

  "Take me to see your master." The person in the corner suddenly spoke up, their voice hoarse and weak.

  "Ah?" The fatty's footsteps came to an abrupt halt, extremely unexpected. His gaze swept back to the corner, where that person slowly lifted their head. Under the dim lighting, their facial features were indistinct, but a pair of gleaming black eyes was particularly captivating.

  Seeing no reaction from the fatty, Yun Yi repeated: "I want to see your master."

  "Prime Minister Za should have done so earlier......" Pao Tzu's face smiled but his heart didn't, clearly a treacherous and deceitful person pretending to be tough. In his heart he cursed, raised his right hand and waved at the two sword-bearing guards behind him, "Bring in the wheelchair!"

  Pangzi's thoughts were written all over his face, and he didn't even bother to hide it. Yun Yi pulled the corner of his mouth, feeling rather helpless. Three days without speaking, not about dignity or pride, but just needing time to get used to this new identity and this new body.

  One moment she was a poor woman crushed under the wheels of a cart, the next she had inexplicably become a powerful official in the previously unheard-of Great Yu Kingdom. Even having read many stories about resurrection and transmigration, it was still hard for her to accept.

  A brand new red wooden wheelchair was pushed in, two burly guards stepped forward, "Offended." Immediately, "he" was easily lifted up.

  Yun Yide took a deep breath and buried past memories in her heart. From this moment on, she was the Left Prime Minister of Dayu Kingdom, Yuan Yunyi.

  "Have someone serve the Left Prime Minister, help him with his grooming and bathing." The fatty instructed his underling as he walked, casting a sideways glance at Yuan Yunyi sitting in his wheelchair, sneering at him. The former most powerful man was now nothing more than a useless person, subject to others' manipulation.

  "Taking a bath can wait, it's better than keeping your master waiting." She refused, once someone gets close to her, her daughter's body would surely be exposed.

  The fatty didn't force her, and instead had someone in the dungeon give her a simple wash and dress her in a high-quality sable cloak to cover up her disheveled clothes. They covered her eyes and had someone push her out in a wheelchair...

  Jiying Hall, layered curtains hanging down, warm fragrance wafting through the air. A middle-aged man sat at the back of a golden silk-covered desk, one hand on his knee and the other clutching a letter, his brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, he slammed his fist on the table and cursed: "Damn that barbarian, always changing his mind, ruining my great plan!"

  At this moment, a slightly sharp voice came from outside the door: "Report to Your Highness, Prime Minister Zuo requests an audience."

  The man heard this and immediately turned his anger into joy, "Quickly invite!"

  As the sound of the wheels rolling, the man had collected his emotions. He slowly raised his eyelids and his gaze fell on the wheelchair, suddenly feeling a bright light in front of him: what a beautiful young boy with an absolutely stunning face!

  His face was androgynous, with phoenix-like eyes, vermilion lips, a jade nose, and a sharp jawline. His features were so finely chiseled that they seemed to have been carved by the heavens themselves. He exuded an air of elegance without being effeminate, and his beauty was refined rather than coarse. A pair of eyebrows slanted upwards at the temples added a hint of mischief to his demeanor, making it impossible for anyone to mistake him for a woman. At this moment, with silver clasps holding back his hair and wearing a purple sable cloak, the young man sat upright in his wheelchair, though slightly shorter than usual, he still exuded an air of natural pride and nobility. His dark pupils shone like snow or jade, calm and profound, unfathomable as a deep well.

  No wonder the old emperor was infatuated with him to the point of being completely bewildered.

  "My humble self has seen the king. As Yun Yi's body is not feeling well, and the etiquette is not thorough, I hope King Xiang will forgive me." The residual memory in his body made Yun Yi naturally call out the identity of the person in front of him.

  Xiang Wang Li Rang was over 40 years old, but due to good care, he looked like he was only in his thirties. His face was fair and smooth, with regular features, a slight mustache on his chin, and a warm smile that made him likable.

  "Heh heh, Prime Minister Zuo is an honored guest of our kingdom, no need for such excessive courtesy."

  Honorable guest? Cloud Intention smiled but didn't speak, lowering his eyes to glance over the powerless hands resting on his knees and the powerless legs hanging from the wheelchair, all tendons severed, a useless person. If he wasn't still of use, how would he still be alive?!

  Xiang Wang guessed her thoughts and immediately said, "If the left prime minister's hands and feet can be treated by a famous doctor in time, it is not necessarily impossible to recover. This king has some connection with Wu Xiao Gongzi, but unfortunately, he is busy with many things at present..."

  "Is there a place where I can serve you, Your Highness?" Unspoken words, a single phrase conveys the meaning. It's not easy to start anew, she doesn't want to be a useless person.

  "Good!" King Xiang clapped his hands and smiled, "Since Left Minister is pleased, I will speak straightforwardly. As long as you hand over the goods, I will ensure your safety and continuous prosperity."

  Yun Yi's heart knew that what he said was a treasure map, which was unintentionally heard from the fat man's mouth in the dungeon. However, the original owner's remaining memories had nothing to do with this aspect. How could she hand it over?

  Inwardly anxious, outwardly calm and composed, it was clear that this was a negotiating posture: "Oh? That depends on the king's sincerity. Now I have reached the pinnacle of power, with authority overwhelming the court, this is already an unbridled wealth and honor. The king speaks of uninterrupted prosperity, but what kind of wealth and honor could be greater than this?" In any case, it was better to feign humility and preserve one's life.

  Xiang Wang narrowed his eyes: "But I don't know what kind of wealth and nobility Left Minister wants?"

  "After some thought, Yun Yi said, ' Divide the land and enfeoff princes, share the world together.'"

  "Haha, Left Minister has a big tone." King Xiang's expression slightly changed, but in his heart he believed that she had the treasure and also eliminated some of his doubts. This was the first powerful minister he recognized, with a cold temperament and ambitious desires.

  "Which can compare to Xiang Wang's magnanimity!" Among the treasures, the most crucial one was the Imperial Seal of Transmission. Whoever obtained the seal would obtain the world, and Xiang Wang's heart was as clear as a mirror.

  Xiang Wang stroked his beard and smiled, their eyes met, and they understood each other without needing to say a word.

  "Zuo Qing, since you want to see my sincerity, I'll give you another gift." He paused for a moment, with a hint of mystery in his smile. "The reason I was able to bring you here smoothly is all thanks to one person."

  With a sideways glance, according to the residual memories, this deity's martial arts skills were profound, and normally not an opponent. The reason for falling to this point was that while practicing at a critical moment, suddenly being ambushed by someone, losing control of inner energy, and then having one's meridians severed, suffering torture, and fainting from the pain. Upon waking up, already trapped in prison.

  The location of the practice is top secret, and only two people know about it.

  "And let you see who that person is." King Xiang smiled and lightly clapped his hands twice. In an instant, the sound of "clattering" came from outside the hall, which was the sound of chains being dragged on the ground, dull and cold, making people's hearts feel apprehensive.

  Yun Yi shifted her body sideways, adjusting the angle, so that she could get a clear view of that "traitor" at first glance.

  A "clattering" sound was clear to the ear, and a figure entered with their back to the light. Long hair fell to their shoulders, white clothes fluttered, chains were added to their body, but they walked calmly, as if strolling in a leisurely courtyard.

  With an air of elegance and refinement, a beauty beyond compare. Before he could even see the visitor's face clearly, this sentence inexplicably floated into Yun Yi's mind.

  The man wore a white loose long gown, the fabric soft and flowing, with a gentle luster, as if there was moonlight dancing, coming with ease, as if carrying a body of melting moon color, stunning.

  Her eyebrows resemble distant mountains in green ink, her lips are like the apricot blossoms of March. Her elegant face is as if painted with a hint of moonlight, refined and detached from worldly concerns, difficult to capture with brush and ink. As she gazes intently, her thoughts seem to fall into those enchanting eyes. For a moment, it's as if I'm standing in a secluded mountain valley, surrounded by apricot blossoms and misty rain, entwined and unfathomable.

  "He said with a low and gentle voice, his eyebrows and eyes soft and serene."

  The cloud-like intention is like a dream that has just awakened. King Xiang and the guards who escorted Na are exchanging suspicious glances. It was rumored that Zuo Xiang was promiscuous, disregarding social norms, and had an affair with his brother's wife. Now it seems that there is indeed some truth to this.

  "...the person who betrayed the original intention is his own brother, Yuan Fengxi? As for this person, apart from a few thin pieces of information, there are no extra fragments in his mind, so that Yunyi was at a loss for words for a while."

  "The king is sincere in this, what do you think, Left Minister?" King Xiang waved his hand to dismiss the guards, and with a profound gaze swept across the two men's faces. In his heart, he was secretly delighted at their misfortune. They were once close relatives, but now they were at odds with each other.

  Suddenly, the military horn sounded loudly, the drumbeat thundered, and the situation changed in an instant.

  Xiang Wang was shocked: "Who's there——"

  "Report - there is an urgent military situation, requesting to see the king." As soon as the words fell, a general in armor strode in, clasped his fists and saluted hastily: "Your Majesty, the crown prince has led the army, and they are approaching the city. The situation is critical. Please make a swift decision."

  "What?!" Xiang Wang slapped the table and stood up, in a fit of rage he randomly grabbed a memorial and threw it at the general's face. "A bunch of useless people! Weren't you saying that the Bao Lei army just arrived at Lin Shui yesterday? Even if Li Jun Zhao grew wings, it's impossible for him to fly to Xiang Cheng overnight!"

  Tu Ze didn't dare to evade, "The end will know the crime." Who would have thought that the large army that should be hundreds of miles away had quietly arrived under their eyelids overnight.

  "This must be Li Junzhuo's scheme!" Xiang Wang gritted his teeth, his face twisted in a scowl, and slammed his fist on the table. The thirteen tribes from the south had defected at the critical moment, catching Li Junzhuo off guard. With the reinforcements from Chu still not arrived, could it be that all their years of planning were about to go down the drain?

  No! He cast a stern glance at Yuanyi, his smile somewhat sinister. Yuanyi's heart skipped a beat as he indeed heard him say: "For now, the only option is to temporarily yield to the Left Chancellor."